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Patriotism... (Reply to this comment)
by lammet
comes form the word 'Patris' meaning home-land. To the Greeks it denoted the feeling urging them to drop whatever differences they had among the City-states and unite in the common goal of defending the homeland against assailants (usually Persians).
It is sad that the word today in America has come to denote a feeling of superiority over people and ways not American.
Gongratulations on your views and your candour.
-Vasilis
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Oct 09 '06
11:18 am PDT
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So you don't like this country (Reply to this comment)
by tommy_lop
Patrotisim is a love of country it dosen't mean that you think it's better then everyone else, but that it's the best for you.
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Jun 06 '05
2:56 pm PDT
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I agree... (Reply to this comment)
by vicfar
I would add to your essay that a country where people are not required to serve in the Army is BY DEFINITION not patriotic. I have always found distasteful the idea of a mercenary Army: these are people who are economically oppressed and victimized, who do not fight for their country out of love, but fight in order to eat. They have little choice.
In most democratic countries through history, patriotism required (and still does) ALL able citizens to defend their country in a war. It would seem fair to see Bush's and Cheney's daughters and every other young American serve in Iraq or Afghanistan. Perhaps politicians would think twice before sending their children to fight these sleazy wars.
I personally would fight to defend America from invaders, but would flee to Canada rather than fighting THIS shameful war, as indeed about 15,000 American GIs are doing. I call them better patriots than our Minister of War, Donald Rumsfeld and his cronies.
Good point about those bumper stickers: what is that supposed to mean "I support our troops"? I have no choice but to pay taxes and support them. But in spirit, I DO NOT SUPPORT OUR TROOPS IN IRAQ. I do not support their callous slaughtering of civilians, the tortures they perform, and their illegal occupation. And I do not support my government in this initiative.
I wonder if they have a bumper sticker with all this on.
Vittorio
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May 19 '05
6:19 pm PDT
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Re: Interesting. (Reply to this comment)
by jay1051971
After all, I had the good fortune to be born in the U.S., and I like my home, but it wasn't through my efforts that the U.S. became powerful/successful. I have to wonder about someone who has so few accomplishments of his own that he has to gloat about someone else's.
You know... It's interesting to hear you say this. I was just reminded of something I read from Ayn Rand on racism, but I think it applies here as well.
Nationalism is essentially a collectivist ideology. To claim superiority based on membership in some group with arbitrary commonalities is akin to intellectual laziness. One tries to take credit for the accomplishments of others, rather than having to exert the energy to accomplish something on their own.
Good thought!
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May 19 '05
5:36 am PDT
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Interesting. (Reply to this comment)
by rooster3888
I do not agree that nationalism and patriotism are nearly the same. Patriotism is love of your country. Nationalism is thinking your country is the better than any other. While people often mistake the two, and many people who claim to be patriotic are really nationalistic, patriotism by itself is not a bad thing. I love my country because it is my home, but that does not require me to think it is better than other countries. I can like my own country and still respect and enjoy other nations as well.
I agree that some people unfortunately have a skewed view of being patriotic and also of superiority. That, incidentally, is not a purely American phenomenon. Americans seem to catch more publicity for it lately, but I have met people from France, Korea, Japan, China, amongst others, who have a sense of arrogance about their country and culture.
You use a lot of good examples of people having misguided beliefs about their country, and why nationalism (not, IMHO, patriotism) is wrong. However, your example of the Naval Petty Officer is a bad one, if you are talking about the person I am thinking of. If you are talking about Pablo Paredes, he was charged because he refused to board his ship and go to war. Whether or not you agree with his stance, he did something that is illegal. As a professional military member, he has taken an obligation to fight, as the country, not as he personally, believes is necessary. I have sympathy for him for standing up for what he believes, but I also understand that he violated an obligation that he made freely, and will thus face the consequences of the military justice system, which he also entered into freely. Whether or not he is "unpatriotic" for doing what he did is not the issue. The issue is he broke the law, and therefore will face the law. It is neither here nor their on patriotism, as far as the navy is concerned.
Also, you incorrect in claiming that Japan is the largest aid donor in the world. The United States surpassed Japan in 2001 in total dollar amount. In % of GDP, the U.S. is second-to-last out of industrialized nations, but first in total dollar amount. In 2004 we gave approximaately 19 billion dollars in foreign aid,or .16% of our GDP. Japan gave 8.8 billion dollars, or .19% of their GDP. Japan was the world's largest aid donor from 1992-2001.
Here is a link with the statistics
http://www.globalissues.org/TradeRelated/Debt/USAid.asp
The page overall is well done and gives a broad view of foreign aid, and several differing opinions on how to calculate it in a meaningful way.
The source that compiled those statistics is the OECD which you can find at http://www.oecd.org
Anyways, overall I do agree that people should not be so proud of their country. After all, I had the good fortune to be born in the U.S., and I like my home, but it wasn't through my efforts that the U.S. became powerful/successful. I have to wonder about someone who has so few accomplishments of his own that he has to gloat about someone else's.
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May 19 '05
12:44 am PDT
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*** (Reply to this comment)
by jay1051971
I've always differentiated "nationalism" with "patriotism".
To my mind, patriotism is simply the love of some idea. Freedom for example. There is nothing any more wrong with being "patriotic" than there is in admitting that one has certain values.
Nationalism, on the otherhand, is the bastard stepchild of patriotism. It is simply love of a geographic place...or, more accurately, love of the State which governs that geographic place.
I think this is what you may be talking about. Most people today do not demonstrat patriotism, but instead nationalism - a mindless, my country-right-or-wrong, blind nationalism.
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May 18 '05
7:35 am PDT
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